Surgically implantable prosthetic system

Abstract

A prosthetic system is provided for implantation into a body joint, such as a knee joint compartment between a femoral condyle and its corresponding tibial plateau. The prosthetic system includes a tibial component arranged to be fixed to the tibial plateau and having a top face including a generally flat surface and an opposed bottom face. The prosthetic system further includes a mensical component having a generally elliptical shape in plan, the mensical component having a top face and an opposed bottom face including a generally flat surface. The mensical component bottom face is arranged to engages the tibial component top face to form the assembled prosthetic system, where the mensical component is movable with respect to the tibial component.

1 . A prosthetic system for implantation into a knee joint compartment between a femoral condyle and its corresponding tibial plateau, the prosthetic system comprising: 
 a tibial component arranged to be fixed to the tibial plateau and having a top face including a generally flat surface and an opposed bottom face; and    a mensical component having a generally elliptical shape in plan, the mensical component having a top face and an opposed bottom face including a generally flat surface, the meniscal component bottom face arranged to engage the tibial component top face to form the assembled prosthetic system, wherein the meniscal component is movable with respect to the tibial component.    
   
   
       2 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mensical component is self-centering within the knee joint compartment.  
   
   
       3 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mensical component top face includes a generally concave surface.  
   
   
       4 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mensical component top face includes a generally convex surface.  
   
   
       5 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tibial component further includes a guide extending upwardly from the top face thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tibial component further includes an aperture provided therein arranged to receive a fastener for fixing the tibial component to the tibial plateau.  
   
   
       7 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mensical component top face is generally non-conformal to the corresponding femoral surface.  
   
   
       8 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mensical component top face is generally conformal to the corresponding femoral surface.  
   
   
       9 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tibial component includes a peripheral edge joining the top and bottom faces thereof and including a first side, and the mensical component includes a peripheral edge joining the top and bottom faces thereof and including a first side, each peripheral edge being generally rounded.  
   
   
       10 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 9 , wherein the tibial component first side is generally straight.  
   
   
       11 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 9 , wherein the mensical component first side is generally straight.  
   
   
       12 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral edge of the meniscal component includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein a first dimension D is defined by the first end and the second end, and a second dimension F is defined by the first side and the second side, wherein the dimension F is from about 0.25D to about 1.5D.  
   
   
       13 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tibial component is generally semicircular in plan.  
   
   
       14 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tibial component and the mensical component is constructed of a biocompatible material selected from the group consisting of ceramics, metals, metal alloys, reinforced and non-reinforced thermoset or thermoplastic polymers, or composites thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tibial component and the mensical component includes a portion made of a relatively low modulus material.  
   
   
       16 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 15 , wherein the relatively low modulus material is selected from the group consisting of reinforced and non-reinforced elastomeric polymers, viscous-elastic materials, and hydrogels.  
   
   
       17 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tibial component and the mensical component includes a biocompatible polymer capable of containing living cells.  
   
   
       18 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a surface coating applied to at least one of the tibial component and the mensical component.  
   
   
       19 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the tibial component and the mensical component includes a biologically active material associated therewith.  
   
   
       20 . A modular prosthetic system for implantation into a knee joint compartment between a femoral condyle and its corresponding tibial plateau, the prosthetic system comprising: 
 a standard tibial component arranged to be fixed to the tibial plateau and having a top face including a generally flat surface and an opposed bottom face; and    a plurality of different mensical components each having a generally elliptical shape in plan, the plurality of mensical components each having a top face and an opposed bottom face including a generally flat surface, wherein engagement of the bottom face of a selected one of the plurality of mensical components with the top face of the standard tibial component forms the assembled prosthetic system, wherein the meniscal component is movable with respect to the tibial component.    
   
   
       21 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 20 , wherein the mensical component top face includes a generally concave surface.  
   
   
       22 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 20 , wherein the mensical component top face includes a generally convex surface.  
   
   
       23 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 20 , wherein the tibial component further includes a guide extending upwardly from the top face thereof.  
   
   
       24 . The prosthetic system according to  claim 20 , wherein the tibial component includes a peripheral edge joining the top and bottom faces thereof and including a first side, and the mensical component includes a peripheral edge joining the top and bottom faces thereof and including a first side, the tibial component first side and the meniscal component first side each being generally straight.  
   
   
       25 . A method for implantation of a prosthetic system into a knee joint compartment between a femoral condyle and its corresponding tibial plateau, the method comprising: 
 providing a tibial component having a top face including a generally flat surface and an opposed bottom face;    providing a mensical component having a generally elliptical shape in plan, the mensical component having a top face and an opposed bottom face having a generally flat surface;    surgically exposing the knee joint compartment;    inserting the tibial component into the knee joint compartment;    affixing the tibial component to the tibial plateau; and    inserting the mensical component into the knee joint compartment proximal to the tibial component such that the mensical component bottom face engages the tibial component top face to form the assembled prosthetic system, the meniscal component movable with respect to the tibial component.    
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising altering the condition of tissue located in the knee joint compartment.  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising determining a required size and shape of at least one of the tibial component and the mensical component by examination of the knee joint.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the examination includes one or more of X-ray imaging and MRI imaging.  
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising selecting the mensical component from a library of mensical components of standard shapes and sizes.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising generating a custom mensical component whose size and shape are at least partially based on an examination of the knee joint.